Hospital Board Loan Poposals

Manawatu Times, Volume 70, Issue 266, 10 November 1945, Page 3

Hospital Board Loan Poposals

COMIVfENT BY HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCILLORS

The secretary of the Palmerston North Hospital Board, Mr. H. A. Phillipps, advised the Horowhenua County Council at yesterday’s monthly meeting that the Board was at present advertising two loan proposals, namely: Feilding Maternity Homo buildings and equipment £45,000; and Otaki Sanatorium, additions to buildings and equipment £21,000. It was pointed out in respect of the Feilding Maternity Home loan that the necessity for a public Maternity Home at Feilding had been long recognised and that its erection would materially relieve the congestion in connection with the maternity homes in Palmerston North. The term-of the loan was 20 years and the rate of interest not exceeding 3£ per cent.

In regard to the Otaki Sanatorium, the communication stated that the Palmerston North Hospital Board now holds the sanatorium property as trustee for the Western Hospital Districts’ Joint Sanatorium Committee and the proposed loan would be raised by the Board, but all costs and disbursements in connection therewith are recoverable by the Board from tho Joint Committee, each of the contributory Boards to this committee including the Palmerston North Hospital Board, bearing its share of all charges. Actually the Palmerston North Hospital Board’s share on a valuation basis is approximately one-third of these charges. The necessity for improvement at Otaki Sanatorium had been recognised for seme time and one of the objects of the. establishment of the Western Hospital Districts’ Joint Sanatorium Committee was to ensure that the costs of such improvements were spread over all Boards who may send patients to the sanatorium.

The communication expressed the hope that the County Council would recognise that in these two works, the Hospital Board was carrying out essential works which could not be further postponed and would support the Board in these proposals.

Cr. Gimblett said that the amount of £45,000 for a maternity home at Feilding was unbelievable and indicated the general conditions uuder which we were living at the present time. He did not discount the need for the home which had been an aurgent necessity for a long time. Cr. Colquhoun expressed disappointment that the project of the Levin Maternity Home was not included in the proposal and trusted that tho erection of it would not be unduly retarded. The chairman, Mr. Monk, said that the proposed original cost of the Feilding Maternity Home was £24,000 and the difference between that amount and the present estimated cost of £45,000 represented exactly the value of money today as compared with the earlier period. Ho thought the Council were somewhat pessimistic regarding tho erection of the Levin Maternity Home which lie did not think would be so long delayed as some thought.

It was resolved to receive the communication and to endorse and support the proposals therein contained.